Former National Resistance Movement (NRM) Youth Mobiliser for Entebbe, Habib Byamukama Kashillingi, has officially declared his intention to contest for the position of Mayor of Entebbe Municipality in the upcoming 2026 elections.
On Wednesday, Kashillingi picked nomination forms from the NRM party headquarters, confirming his bid to unseat the incumbent, Fabrice Rulinda Brad.
Kashillingi, a prominent architect, stated that his motivation to join the mayoral race stems from a strong desire to address income inequality, create employment opportunities for the youth, improve infrastructure, and attract greater investment to Entebbe.
“My aspirations for Entebbe Municipality are majorly three, income inequality, to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich by creating employment in different sectors, advocating for improved infrastructure, and also advocating for more investment in Entebbe,” Kashillingi said.
He emphasized that his leadership approach will be transformative and anchored in transparency, practical service delivery, and economic empowerment.
He also outlined plans to revamp the tourism sector, capitalizing on Entebbe’s strategic importance as Uganda’s main gateway to the world.
“On tourism, we shall be utilizing the tourism sector, the airport, the zoo, Botanical Gardens, all that are putting it summing up in a way that and creating jobs for interior people and improving their welfare,” he added.
Kashillingi’s declaration follows months of consultations and grassroots mobilization, particularly among youth and professionals who see him as a credible alternative to the current leadership.
Driven by a deep passion to uplift the people of Entebbe, he also pledged to fight rampant corruption, which he blames for the municipality’s slow development.
“There’s a lot of corruption in Entebbe, people don’t mind, once they sit in office, they look at their stomachs. Infrastructure is really down. People are sleepless, have no food, Entebbe is basically in a very bad state yet it is the main exit and entry point of the day of Uganda,” he stated.
Kashillingi is no stranger to Entebbe politics. He previously served as the NRM youth mobiliser in 2011, a tenure during which he was lauded for championing youth welfare initiatives.
His supporters believe his proven leadership experience makes him the ideal candidate to drive meaningful development in the municipality.
According to Kashillingi, his love for community welfare is what fuels his ambition to take a seat at the policy-making table, where he can collaborate with government stakeholders to empower the people of Entebbe especially the youth through equal opportunities.
He also expressed disappointment in the current job allocation system in Entebbe, accusing it of sidelining qualified residents in favor of outsiders.
“All jobs are being taken by people of Kampala, for instance, at the Airport, majority of workers come from Kampala not Entebbe yet we have educated people. Contractors who come to Entebbe are so personalised that they don’t even employ Entebbe people,” he explained.
He maintained that this exclusion, largely driven by corruption, is the reason he has chosen to step forward and bridge the widening gap between leadership and the people.
Kashillingi’s entry into the race is expected to energize the Entebbe Municipality political landscape, potentially turning the NRM primaries and the national election into a highly competitive contest. He will face off against the incumbent Mayor, Frabrice Rulinda Brad.
